Lorilee Rager is the founder and fearless leader of Thrive Creative Group, LLC. She recently earned her Masters degree in Graphic Design at Vermont College of Fine Arts, in Montpelier, Vermont and her undergrad Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. She is also a Visiting Assistant Professor of Design and active alumnus in the Art and Design department today at APSU, and regularly attends workshops with her cherished VCFA cohorts and advisors to learn and research more about the true history of Graphic Design. Her passion lies in understanding the pressures and responsibility of Graphic Design to the world, and how to build a safe space where a creative career and life can align honestly and authentically. As an HSP and Enneagram Type 9 she’s a creative, optimistic, and supportive leader. She’s a writer, teacher, and mom. She’s also a lover of her sobriety, coffee, and chapstick.
Rachel Ramsay is an educator, designer, serial entrepreneur, and reluctant role model. Her first business venture was selling homemade cinnamon toothpicks to the kids in elementary school. She wanted to do it all—make art, be an astronaut, scientist, lawyer, or historian. Once introduced to computers, she found her true calling, that of a designer. Design gave Rachel the perfect opportunity to merge her art with tech and entrepreneurship. Rachel attended graduated from Utah State University (’97) in Logan, Utah where she received her Bachelor of Science in Art. She also holds an MFA in Graphic Design from the Vermont College of Fine Arts (’14). She has worked the past 25+ years in print shops, ad agencies, design teams, and her own design firm. Rachel has also dabbled in publishing, product development, e-commerce, brick-n-mortar retail and as a layman art curator. As a result of her Master’s Thesis, “Disruption by Design” Rachel created the Girls Go Digital! educational program. It was designed to positively “disrupt” the lives of girls by fighting gender stereotypes while teaching them to create using computer science and technology. Rachel recently was awarded tenure at her current school Dixie State University. She currently has shifted her interests to Interaction & Interface Design, creative coding projects, letterpress, and a deeper look into design history and its lack of inclusiveness.
Mary Hanrahan earned her BFA from the University of New Mexico in printmaking and photography, along with a year internship at Tamarind Institute as a technical assistant collaborating with artists and master printers. In 2013, she received her MFA from VCFA and was part of the first inaugural class. After graduation, she has since helped VCFA students for nearly 10 years plan and install their exhibitions. Additionally, Mary works with varied clients in graphic design and project management. She is also involved with the Harwood Museum of Art as a contract employee, where she works as a project manager and preparator for various exhibitions. Past exhibitions she has worked on: Agnes Martin: Before the Grid, Mabel Dodge Luhan & Company: American Moderns and the West, Judy Chicago’s Birth Project, Long Environmentalism: Subhankar Banerjee, Las Santeras: Images of Faith and Folklore, & Contemporary Art / Taos 2020.
